Doctors unaware of facts on foreskins

Related Stories

Doctors are not giving parents the facts on circumcision, claims a Queensland-based specialist.

Dr Terry Russell told The Lab that many parents were discouraged from circumcising their newborn boys because of poor information given to them by doctors.

"I do 1,500 circumcisions a year and I see many parents who have not been given the full picture on circumcision," Dr Russell said.

Up until the late 1960s and early 70s many male babies were circumcised as a matter of course but the practice largely stopped about twenty years ago.

"This was fair enough because there was a lack of evidence for its practice," said Dr Russell. "But in the last ten to twenty years there has been an enormous amount of research that proves its benefits."

He said the recently published book, 'In Favour of Circumcision', by Dr Brian Morris, provided an excellent summary of the scientific evidence to date.

Dr Russell estimates that circumcision rates in Australia are currently 50% compared to 85% in the US.

A spokesperson for the Royal Australian College of Physicians (RACP) could not be contacted for comment however, the College of Paediatrics (now a division of the RACP) reviewed male circumcision some three years ago.

College Registrar, Dr Tim Bohane, wrote at the time that the data was less than ideal as there were no randomised controlled studies. The College recommended a 'middle ground' until further data was available.